


Half Light

by thominho



Category: Ackley Bridge (TV)
Genre: M/M, um they're the cutest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 15:43:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15416235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thominho/pseuds/thominho
Summary: The one where Cory kisses Naveed or Naveed kisses Cory and things can't ever be the same again.when you're in the half lightit is not you i seeand you'll live a half lifeyou only show half to me





	Half Light

Naveed shrugged off his disappointment as the boys gathered around the rugby tryouts sheet. It wasn’t disappointing that he hadn’t made the team or that he wouldn’t be able to impress the scout coming to school in the coming weeks, but rather that he wouldn’t have an excuse to spend more time with Cory.  
Observing, closely.  
A hand came down and firmly clapped him on the back.  
“Maybe next time mate” Cory said.  
“Yeah, maybe” Naveed said, following it up with another half hearted shrug.  
“Well listen, you heard Miss Keane,” Cory laughed, nudging Naveed “forget about rugby, show business now eh”.  
Naveed rolled his eyes, misreading Cory’s affectionate teasing for a jab. So this is how they were going to play it. The three musketeers, Cory and Riz the rugby jocks and Naveed relegated to ‘show business’.  
“Alright, shut up” he said, nudging past Cory to continue down the corridor.  
For Naveed, the precedent was clear, he liked Cory and he didn’t exactly make an effort to hide that, constantly reminding Cory of his pride and admiration, building him up to disguise the words he really wanted to say. “I think you’re great Cory, so great that I really like you and want to spend all my time around you”.  
He knew that he was leading himself down a path of disappointment, but then again the little smiles, the shared glances, the accidental bumping of elbows in biology made it all worth it.  
Naveed continued down the corridor, unaware that Cory’s eyes followed him as he went.

 

“Oi,” Cory said, leaning into Naveed, his voice pushing Mr Hyatt’s rather extensive explanation of a cow’s heart into background noise. “You know earlier, I didn’t mean for it to come off like that.”  
Cory felt apologetic but he also just wanted things to be good with Naveed. There was a quiet calm that settled within him when they were around each other, offering him grounding when everything else felt so hectic.  
“I know” Naveed looked up at Cory.  
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah” Naveed smiled, Cory bowing his head to suppress his own relief.  
It was clear that Naveed’s friendship was more important to him than he realised. He felt he could hold on to it at school. Without placing his burdens on Naveed’s shoulders, he could still manage to feel uplifted. This was a pocket of happiness in Cory’s life, a solace before he had to head back to face his dad, the absence of Jordan that he often felt weighing on his own shoulders.  
“But hey, don’t think rugby was my thing anyway” Naveed said, his words bringing Cory back down.  
“Tell you what, if you audition for that school play. I’ll do it with you,” Cory said “me, you, Shakespeare, eh?”  
Hope bloomed on Naveed’s face, countering Cory’s grin.  
“Yeah?”  
“Yeah,” Cory nodded “of course mate.”  
Naveed could not quite believe how much he liked Cory, gratifying pleasure from just the small intricacies of their friendship, the dumb jokes, the light teasing, but also the kindness that shined through. Deep down, Naveed was fostering a growing understanding that maybe this friendship was all they could be, and that could be enough. But the surface of this was often breached; Cory would look at Naveed in a certain way and drag him beneath again. And for Cory, although he may not yet understand it himself, the light flirting often felt intentional, purposeful and he didn’t feel that he should suppress that.  
“And me” Riz interrupted, followed by the rest of the table who also agreed to take part in the play.  
Naveed and Cory grinned back at them, however a mutual feeling was held between them, a sharp reminder. This was something friends did, helped each other out, and brought each other up. And suddenly the small space between Cory and Naveed felt much larger.

 

Cory walked from Mr Bell, his smirk from minutes ago replaced by agitation, provoked by Mr Bell’s reminder that he needed this. He needed to impress the scout; he needed to be the best on the pitch. He was familiar with wanting things he couldn’t have, but not as familiar with needing something that felt too far away to possibly reach. “It could be really good for you” Mr Bell had said, but Cory already knew that it was far more than that. It would solve things for him and Jordan, he could step forward, no longer feel so helpless.  
Naveed waited for him at the end of the corridor, offering him a small smile of encouragement. Cory returned it, thankful for the reassurance, whether Naveed knew he was offering it or not.  
“Asking about your dad?” Naveed said, wanting Cory to know he was there.  
Cory stopped and leaned against the doorframe, looking up at Naveed. He didn’t really have to respond because Naveed already could read his self doubt, he wanted to drill it into Cory that he thought he was great, to remind him that whether he believes in himself or not, Naveed did. And he knew Cory could do this rugby thing and smash it.  
“Listen,” Naveed said stepping forward “just focus on the match, go out and do what you always do.”  
Cory’s gazed faltered, he leant towards Naveed but kept his eyes trained on the floor.  
“We all know Mr Bell thinks you’re great...” Naveed followed Cory’s eyes to the floor “and well I do too”.  
Again, Cory felt that familiar panic begin to drain from his body, brought to a halt by Naveed’s words that were lined with an honesty Cory couldn’t find anywhere else. It didn’t feel pitiful but hopeful and truthful. He waited for Naveed’s eyes to meet his own, wanting to feel closer to him.  
“Really?”  
“Yeah.”  
For a moment, an affirmation settled between them. Naveed liked Cory, and Cory liked Naveed. And they both saw it in each other, maybe not with total confidence but with the assurance that something lay between them, most likely to remain untouched but a defence for both of them to lean on.  
Cory punctured the moment with a diversion, playfully nudging Naveed and laughing.  
“I’d be completely lost without you wouldn’t I, eh.”

 

“Jordan wanted me to give you this” Naveed said passing Cory the folded up drawing.  
Both alone in the changing room, Naveed saw Cory’s self doubt clouding over again, his shoulders slumping as if he had already accepted the defeat.  
Even though Naveed knew Cory well, it still took him by surprise hearing Cory say with such assurance, “I’m gonna blow this.” Although Cory often doubted himself, he never outright admitted it, slapping on a grin or cracking a joke to change the subject.  
Naveed gave Cory a blunt look, offering a slight laugh to show that he couldn’t believe what Cory had just said.  
“Mate, you are not gonna blow this, I know you’re not. If you want me to, I can remind you how great you are again.”  
Cory smiled, looking down at the floor again.  
Naveed stepped forward placing his hands on Cory’s shoulders, “you are not gonna blow this,” he said shaking him slightly, “say it!”  
Clasping his hands on the sides of Cory’s neck, Naveed gave Cory an encouraging nod.  
“I’m not gonna blow this” Cory sighed, rolling his eyes slightly.  
“Say it again” Naveed raised his voice, bringing his forehead to Cory’s.  
“I’m not gonna blow this.”  
“Come on say it again!”  
“I’m not gonna blow this... I’m not gonna blow this.”  
Forehead to forehead, with Naveed’s hands on his neck, the room seemed to disappear around the pair, only aware of the small distance between each other’s lips.  
Naveed wasn’t sure if he leaned in first, or if it was Cory that met him halfway, but soon enough their lips had met, all their doubts seizing. Cory lifted his hands to Naveed’s shoulders and pulled him in closer.  
So not just friends then, Naveed thought.  
They pulled away and Naveed leaned back in, not to be met with Cory’s lips but instead with his hands firmly placed on his shoulders, building a resistant boundary between himself and Naveed. And there they were, back in Ackley Bridge’s grotty changing rooms.  
For Cory, he wasn’t exactly surprised that he had kissed Naveed. He knew he liked Naveed. And well, he thought he must have known Naveed liked him too. But this was not something he ever thought he would have to consider, kissing a boy. And he certainly had enough on his mind right now, fears and worries outside of Naveed. This was not something that Cory wanted to combine, he liked how things were, and there was no need for him to complicate that any more.  
Cory studied Naveed’s face for a moment.  
“What are you doing man?” he sighed, backing out of Naveed’s hold. Naveed’s hands fell to his side, a look of pained embarrassment crossing over his face.  
Walking out of the changing room, a pang of guilt hit Cory. He didn’t want Naveed to think that he hated him but maybe that was better than starting something that would only hurt the both of them.  
Naveed watched Cory leave.

 

Naveed bit back his nerves. The night of the play, all those lines and the people that would be watching him, that kiss with Cory.  
There were too many things to concentrate on; yet the perfect amount of things to dwell on.  
“Come on. Just for a moment, can we all hold hands?” Miss Keane shouted across the room, encouraging the class to form a circle.  
Cory glanced over at Naveed, half wanting to admire his costume and the way he looked in it, but also wanting to check if he was alright. Cory had been recognising a familiar sense of panic gradually settling over Naveed throughout the afternoon, something he had become well accustomed to himself. Cory extended his hand out towards Naveed, stepping closer to remind him that he was there.  
Naveed was confused. Cory hadn’t wanted to kiss him and there had been an uncomfortable separation between the two since it had happened, he thought Cory hated him yet here Cory was. Reaching his hand out to Naveed, giving him a hopeful glance. Naveed supposed that maybe over the last week, Cory’s teasing and the accidental brushes of his arm in the corridor may have been purposeful. However, he had recently understood that he was not the best at reading how people felt.  
Naveed pulled his hand away from Cory, making a point to establish a space between the two where somebody else could fit.  
Alright, Cory thought. It stung.  
As Miss Keane finished her speech, Naveed trailed out into the corridor. His mind concentrated on the play but also on Cory and all the certainties that seemed to be consuming his attention. The loss of a friendship, the things people might say about him if Cory told Riz and the other lads, the likelihood of stepping up on that stage and forgetting his words.  
Hearing the classroom door open and close again behind him, Naveed assumed it was Nas or Miss Keane following to remind him that he was in fact part of this play and it would be useful if he was heading up to the stage before it actually began.  
“Naveed... you’re on.”  
Naveed slowed to a stop, his back to Cory.  
“Yeah well I can’t do it.”  
“Course you can” Cory laughed, his voice hitching slightly “how could we do it without you? You’re our Puck!”  
This was all too familiar, one bringing the other up, reminding them of their capabilities; Naveed knew this didn’t end well, keeping his eyes trained on the wall because looking at Cory right now probably wouldn’t be a good idea.  
“What do you care?”  
A hand came down to rest on Naveed’s shoulder as Cory leaned against the wall.  
“Yeah well I’m here, aren’t I?” said Cory.  
Turning to face Cory, Naveed took a place next to him leaning on the wall.  
“Thought you hated me.”  
Cory looked up at Naveed, smiling at the ridiculous impossibility of his words.  
“I could never hate you” he said, eyes grazing over Naveed, at the blue paint and the feathers stuck to his chest “seriously Naveed, I couldn’t.”  
Naveed looked up to catch Cory’s eye, a smile tugging at his lips.  
“I’m sorry, y’know. About what happened.”  
Cory looked away. He wanted to tell Naveed that he didn’t need to be sorry, that he had wanted it just as much.  
“So you think I’m fit, eh?” Cory laughed.  
Naveed scoffed, rolling his eyes a little.  
“Well just don’t tell anyone, alright?”  
Leaning into Naveed, Cory lifted his hand to rest on the wall next to his head. “Course I won’t” he said, staring at Naveed to affirm that he really did mean it. “Now you go in there and smash it.”

 

After they’d all joined hands and bowed to the crowd, revelling in the success of the show, the remaining attendees and pupils filtered out of the school hall.  
“Told ya you’d smash it” Cory shouted to Naveed across the room, stacking the chairs up into a pile.  
“Yeah, your pep talk can take the credit for that” Naveed laughed.  
Attention mostly focused on one another rather than the task at hand, they laughed back and forth across the room. Miss Keane thanked them and told them to go for the night, their eagerness to help her out seeming particularly unusual.  
Cory opened the door for Naveed, “After you.”  
“Shut up” Naveed laughed.  
“That’s a weird way of saying thanks.” Cory said, skipping ahead to lean against the bike rails.  
“Well stop being weird then.” Naveed responded.  
“Polite. Naveed.”Cory smiled “I’m being polite.”  
Naveed smiled back, shifting his weight from one foot to another.  
“Well-“  
“Well you’re not gonna walk on your own are you?”  
“I mean- if you’re not walking...” Naveed said, edging his voice with a question.  
“Nope” Cory stepped back to lift the bike away from the rail “bike.”  
“Oh” Naveed said, turning away “Night then mate.”  
“Naveed” Cory laughed like it was obvious “on the back, you can get on the back! You’re actually killing me.”  
“Oh.”  
Cory climbed on the bike, scooting it towards Naveed. Naveed’s heart beating against his chest, he fumbled onto the back of the bike. Not completely sure whether this was something friends did, he carefully rested his hands on Cory’s shoulders.  
“Bit tighter if you don’t wanna go flying off” Cory laughed, picking up Naveed’s hands to rest them on his waist instead. “It’s not like we haven’t passed that stage”.  
Naveed laughed and leaned forward, Cory kicking the bike away from the path to take off down the hill.  
With the sky darkening above them, neither Naveed nor Cory knew exactly what this was. But with the streets quiet around them, and Naveed’s heart beat pressed against Cory’s back, Cory knew he liked Naveed.  
All this time he had liked Naveed. And Naveed had liked Cory.  
Cory was quiet, seemingly focused on the path in front of him when Naveed decided to disrupt the silence.  
“I really like you, y’know.”  
Cory let out a breath and continued cycling for a moment in silence.  
“I know."  
"Oh."  
"I really like you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> aaaah i love them so much
> 
> i was listening to half light by banners and it reminded me of cory and naveed so i had to write this :))
> 
> thanks for reading <3


End file.
